Warwick Arts Centre awarded major capital funding for 20:20 Project

Warwick Arts Centre has been awarded £4.2m in National Lottery funding from Arts Council England towards its 20:20 capital project. This ensures that by October 2020 we will be a redeveloped cultural and creative centre for the region in which to continue our distinctive, creative, artistic and cultural programme.

This capital funding kick starts Phase 2 of the Warwick 20:20 Project and will commence in October 2018, with the demolition of the existing Cinema and Mead Gallery and the creation of a new building to house three new digital auditoria, a large ground floor gallery. The new building will also provide a spacious new-look foyer designed to showcase the very best in contemporary art and entertainment and café bar, offering a welcoming environment for everyone.

The new building will be fully accessible, environmentally sustainable and a creative hub for international class digital art, exhibitions and performances.

Peter Knott, Area Director, Arts Council England, said:

“We’re delighted to be investing in Warwick Arts Centre, particularly at this time as Coventry gears up to host UK City of Culture in 2021. Warwick Arts Centre has a fantastic reputation and its future promises more great things. Sitting alongside a fantastic, repurposed building will be a programme that attracts even more local, national and international visitors. The Arts Council’s Capital grants support organisations to improve existing buildings, making them more economically and environmentally sustainable and giving arts and cultural organisations the right buildings and equipment needed to support the delivery of their work, Warwick Arts Centre have shown they can deliver very strongly against these goals.”

Alan Rivett, Director at Warwick Arts Centre, says:

“I am delighted with this welcome award by Arts Council England. My team have taken time to research and develop well considered plans for the future of Warwick Arts Centre and this award will help to make them real for the enjoyment and creative inspiration of our communities and the region – a place where creativity, collaboration & innovation thrives.”

Warwick Arts Centre will remain open and continue to provide audiences with a full programme of events throughout the project; with the Butterworth Hall and Helen Martin Studio open throughout, and the Theatre, Studio, Music Centre and Woods Scawen Room to reopen in July 2018.